Mechanism for breast pumping garment access

ABSTRACT

The invention pertains to a garment that facilitates breast feeding and pumping. The garment includes a chest flap portion that is configured to fold away from shoulder strap portions when the chest flap is unfastened from the shoulder straps. When the flap is folded away from the shoulder straps, the user&#39;s breasts are exposed for nursing or pumping while the garment otherwise remains in place on the user. The chest flap may be selectively fastened to the shoulder straps through fasteners such as zippers and snaps.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of: U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/059,619, filed on Jul. 31, 2020.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

This invention pertains generally to garments that facilitate breast feeding. More specifically, the invention pertains to garments for lactating women to use when breastfeeding and breast pumping that allow both breasts to be exposed simultaneously while holding the remainder of the garment in place to keep the rest of the body covered.

A garment implementing an aspect of the invention allows wearers to access both breasts simultaneously by exposing the entire chest so as to provide quick and convenient breast feeding and breast pumping access. When the garment is open and the chest exposed, the remaining fabric of garment stays in place, keeping the rest of the body clothed and covered, eliminating the need to pull the garment up and away or to remove the garment entirely to breast pump and breast feed.

In one embodiment, four fasteners are used on a garment to allow selective exposure of the chest area: two snaps and two zippers. Other embodiments may use a combination of fasteners such as snaps, press studs, studs, safety pins, brooches, hooks and eyes, eyelets, frog fastener, toggle fastener, grommets, cords, buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop, hook-and-pile, touch fasteners, tape, magnets, eye hooks, hooks, fabric ties, lace, string, poppers, and buckles.

A wide variety of garments may embody the invention. For example, the opening may be implemented in dresses, short sleeve shirts, long sleeve shirts, three quarter sleeve shirts, shirts, tops, tee shirts, tank tops, vest, collared shirt, polo, gowns, sweaters, sweatshirts, hoodies, jumpsuits, resort wear, pajamas, loungewear, leotard, rompers, jackets, blouses, button down, scrubs, kimonos, tunic, bathing suit, smock, activewear, apron, and uniforms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 depicts a front view of an exemplary garment according to an aspect of the invention, shown in a closed configuration.

FIGS. 2A-2B depict front and perspective views, respectively, of an exemplary garment according to an aspect of the invention, shown in an unzipped but snapped configuration.

FIGS. 3A-3D depict various views of an exemplary garment according to an aspect of the invention, shown in a fully open configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the summary above, and in the description below, reference is made to particular features of the invention in the context of exemplary embodiments of the invention. The features are described in the context of the exemplary embodiments to facilitate understanding. But the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. And the features are not limited to the embodiments by which they are described. The invention provides a number of inventive features which can be combined in many ways, and the invention can be embodied in a wide variety of contexts. Unless expressly set forth as an essential feature of the invention, a feature of a particular embodiment should not be read into the claims unless expressly recited in a claim.

Except as explicitly defined otherwise, the words and phrases used herein, including terms used in the claims, carry the same meaning they carry to one of ordinary skill in the art as ordinarily used in the art.

Because one of ordinary skill in the art may best understand the structure of the invention by the function of various structural features of the invention, certain structural features may be explained or claimed with reference to the function of a feature. Unless used in the context of describing or claiming a particular inventive function (e.g., a process), reference to the function of a structural feature refers to the capability of the structural feature, not to an instance of use of the invention.

Except for claims that include language introducing a function with “means for” or “step for,” the claims are not recited in so-called means-plus-function or step-plus-function format governed by 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Claims that include the “means for [function]” language but also recite the structure for performing the function are not means-plus-function claims governed by § 112(f). Claims that include the “step for [function]” language but also recite an act for performing the function are not step-plus-function claims governed by § 112(f).

Except as otherwise stated herein or as is otherwise clear from context, the inventive methods comprising or consisting of more than one step may be carried out without concern for the order of the steps.

The terms “comprising,” “comprises,” “including,” “includes,” “having,” “haves,” and their grammatical equivalents are used herein to mean that other components or steps are optionally present. For example, an article comprising A, B, and C includes an article having only A, B, and C as well as articles having A, B, C, and other components. And a method comprising the steps A, B, and C includes methods having only the steps A, B, and C as well as methods having the steps A, B, C, and other steps.

Terms of degree, such as “substantially,” “about,” and “roughly” are used herein to denote features that satisfy their technological purpose equivalently to a feature that is “exact.” For example, a component A is “substantially” perpendicular to a second component B if A and B are at an angle such as to equivalently satisfy the technological purpose of A being perpendicular to B.

Except as otherwise stated herein, or as is otherwise clear from context, the term “or” is used herein in its inclusive sense. For example, “A or B” means “A or B, or both A and B.

FIG. 1 depicts a front view of an exemplary sleeveless dress 100 implementing an aspect of the invention. (The garment 100 is illustrated deployed on a mannequin.) In this embodiment, the mechanism that enables access to the wearer's breasts is comprised of four fasteners: a right-side zipper 102, a right-side snap 104, a left-side zipper 106, and a left-side snap 108. The garment 100 includes a flap section 110 that covers the chest when in the closed position (as shown) and exposes the chest when in the open position (see, e.g., FIG. 3A). A portion of the right-side snap 104 is located on the top right corner of the flap 110, where the flap meets the collar bone when in the closed position. This corresponds to a mating snap portion of the right-side snap 104 that is located on the garment's right shoulder section 112. Similarly, a portion of the left-side snap 108 is located on the top left corner of the flap 110, where the flap meets the collar bone when in the closed position. This corresponds to a mating snap portion of left-side snap 108 that is located on the garment's left shoulder section 114. The snaps 104, 108 hold the flap 110 in place while opening and closing the mechanism.

The right-side zipper 102 is located on the right side of the chest and the left-side zipper 106 is located on the left side of the chest. Each zipper 102, 106 includes a portion on the shoulder portion 112, 114 and a mating portion on the flap 110. The zippers 102, 106 open near the collar bone and run down the sides of the breasts along the side seam of the garment to their endpoints 116, 118 which are near the bottom of the rib cage and bellow (or near the bottom portions) of the breasts. Each zipper 102, 104 creates a divide between the flap 110 covering the chest and the outer fabric 112, 114 around the shoulders and armholes. When the zippers 102, 106 and snaps 104, 107 are opened, the flap 110 is free to move away from the wearer and create an opening to expose her chest and breasts. The shoulder/armhole portions 112, 114, remain in place to hold the garment 100 in place on the wearer while the flap 110 is open.

FIGS. 2A (a front view) and 2B (a left perspective view) illustrate the garment 100 in an unzipped but snapped state. In this state, the snaps 104, 108 remain fastened while the zippers 102, 106 are unzipped to separate the flap 110 from the shoulder/armhole portions 112, 114. The zipper portions 102 a, 106 a of the shoulder/armhole portions 112, 114 are separated from the zipper portions 102 b, 106 b of the flap 110 to create gaps between the flap 110 and the shoulder/armhole portions 112, 114.

FIGS. 3A-3D illustrate the garment 100 in a fully-opened state. FIG. 3A is a front view, FIG. 3B is a left side view, FIG. 3C is a right side view, and FIG. 3D is a rear view. In this state, the snaps 104, 108 and the zippers 102, 104 are each unfastened and the flap 100 is free to fold down (as shown) to expose the wearer's breasts. The shoulder/armhole straps 112, 114 remain intact and attached to a back portion 120 of the garment 100. Thus, even when in the open state, the garment 100 remains in place on the user.

In use of the garment 100, the user unzips the zippers 102, 106 from shoulder to the bottom of the ribcage on either side of the chest. This will create separations between the flap 110 and the rest of the garment. While the snaps 104, 108 remained fastened, the flap 110 will remain in place. There will be visible slits in the garment between the flap 110 and the shoulder straps 112, 114, where the zippers 102, 106 have been unzipped. The user then unclasps the snaps 104, 108 that hold the top edges of the chest flap connected to the shoulder straps 112, 114. When the snaps 104, 108 are unfastened, the chest flap 110 will fold down, baring the user's chest. The remaining portions of the garment stay in place due to the shoulder/armhole straps 112, 114. To close the garment 100, the user will first fasten each snap 104, 108 and then zip each zipper 102, 106, from the bottom of the rib cage to the collar bone. Alternatively, the user may snap and zipper one side before snapping and zipping the other.

While the foregoing description is directed to the preferred embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the basic scope of the invention. And features described with reference to one embodiment may be combined with other embodiments, even if not explicitly stated above, without departing from the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims which follow. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A garment comprising: (a) a right shoulder strap; (b) a left shoulder strap; (c) a chest flap; (d) a first right-side fastener comprising a first right-strap portion attached to the right shoulder strap and a first right-flap portion attached to the chest flap; and (e) a first left-side fastener comprising a first left-strap portion attached to the left shoulder strap and a first left-flap portion attached to the chest flap; (f) wherein the first right-side fastener is configured to selectively fasten the chest flap to the right shoulder strap; (g) wherein the first left-side fastener is configured to selectively fasten the chest flap to the left shoulder strap; and (h) wherein the chest flap is configured to fold away from the right shoulder strap and the left shoulder strap when not fastened to the right shoulder strap and the left shoulder strap.
 2. The garment of claim 1 further comprising: (a) a second right-side fastener comprising a second right-strap portion attached to the right shoulder strap and a second right-flap portion attached to the chest flap; and (b) a second left-side fastener comprising a second left-strap portion attached to the left shoulder strap and a second left-flap portion attached to the chest flap.
 3. The garment of claim 1 wherein the first right-side fastener is a zipper and the first left-side fastener is a zipper.
 4. The garment of claim 2 wherein the second right-side fastener is a snap and the second left-side fastener is a snap.
 5. The garment of claim 2 wherein: (a) the first right-side fastener is a zipper and the first left-side fastener is a zipper; and (b) the second right-side fastener is a snap and the second left-side fastener is a snap.
 6. The garment of claim 1 wherein: (a) the first right-side fastener comprises at least one of the group consisting of snaps, press studs, studs, safety pins, brooches, hooks and eyes, eyelets, frog fasteners, toggle fasteners, grommets, cords, buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, hook-and-pile fasteners, touch fasteners, tape, magnets, eye hooks, hooks, fabric ties, lace, string, poppers, and buckles; and (b) the first left-side fastener comprises at least one of the group consisting of snaps, press studs, studs, safety pins, brooches, hooks and eyes, eyelets, frog fasteners, toggle fasteners, grommets, cords, buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, hook-and-pile fasteners, touch fasteners, tape, magnets, eye hooks, hooks, fabric ties, lace, string, poppers, and buckles. 